Gypsy

          I know I say this a lot, but I was really excited to see this show. I absolutely loved the 1993 film version, so ever since it was on at the Chichester Festival I've been wanting it to come to London. When it was announced that it was, well I just couldn't wait to get tickets. As I love the film version though I was a little worried that I might be disappointed.

          The Savoy Theatre is playing host to Gypsy and I think it's the perfect setting. The theatre, compared to others in London, has the feeling of being rather narrow. This makes it feel more like the sort of music hall venue where Momma Rose and her daughters would be performing. The seats are unfortunately a little uncomfortable and I found myself wriggling, trying to get comfortable. I was last in this theatre in 2012 for a production of Cabaret and I remember the same thing happening then. It also felt as though they had turned the heating up which didn't help. This may have been a clever ploy as almost everyone went out during the interval to buy a bottle of water.

          Gypsy is a musical based on the book Gypsy: A Memoir, the 1957 memoirs of Gypsy Rose Lee. For those who are unaware, she was an American burlesque entertainer. The musical first opened on Broadway in 1959 with Ethel Merman in the role of Momma Rose, the role that is played by Imelda Staunton in this production, and the role of Gypsy Rose Lee was played by Sandra Church, the role portrayed by Lara Pulver in this London production. The first London production didn't open until 1973, with Angela Lansbury in the role of Momma Rose. I've seen clips of all the West End and Broadway productions and to be honest its impossible to put one performance above any other. Each actress, in the role of Momma Rose as well as Gypsy, makes the part her own and brings something completely different to the role.

           A lot of young people, when they think of Gypsy, will be picturing the 1993 musical version staring Bette Midler in the role of Momma Rose. It was originally a television musical in the US, but was released in theatres in foreign markets. This is how I was first introduced to the story of Gypsy Rose Lee and I have no shame in admitting that I fell in love with it. Yes this was in part to an outstanding performance of the Divine Ms M, but also I found it an interesting and at times gripping story.

          Imelda is absolutely brilliant though in the role. I last saw her on stage in 2012 in a production of Sweeny Todd at the Adelphi Theatre. At the time most people, including myself, would have said 'She cant do any better than this. Its the best she's ever done'. People were saying that in the theatre all over again about her performance in Gypsy. If I'm being honest though I did feel her performance in Sweeny far better, but by no means am I saying her portrayal of Momma Rose is awful. Its anything but. The emotion that she's able to weave into her performance just tugs at your heart strings and holds your attention unlike anything I can remember. Saying that, that's the case for the whole cast. You can tell that they are all putting 100% into their performances and are thoroughly enjoying what they do. There was one more stand out performance for me. Well three. The three strippers, sorry burlesque dancers, at the club who sing 'You Gotta Get A Gimmick'. These three women were fabulous. Couldn't keep my eyes off them. Julie Legrand, Anita Louise Combe and Louise Gold just embody their characters. One can almost believe these characters are indeed real and have been doing it for decades. I think the whole audience just instantly fell in love with them. I cant praise these three woman high enough and its just a shame they don't have more time on stage. Someone give these characters their own show.

          Unfortunately I cant praise the show completely. There were a few improvements that I feel are needed. Set moving. I've said in the past, and I'll say it again, I cant stand hearing set move be it behind a curtain or just in a darkened part of the stage. Just have to read my Phantom Of The Opera review to find that out. unfortunately I could here set pieces moving. Not all the time, admittedly, but that made every time I did here it just that little bit worse. There also seemed to be a few times that the changing of set pieces was a little slow. I'm sure this will improve with time. I also wasn't overly keen on Lara Pulver as Louise. I mean she's a good actress and she has a decent voice, but for some reason she just didn't fit into the role for me. I also have to say I really wasn't a fan on Peter Davison as Herbie. He really cant sing and just seemed really uncomfortable. This may be because he is a new addition to the cast. The show opened in the West End after a successful run at Chichester Festival in 2014. In that production the role of Herbie was played by Kevin Whately and from what little I've seen of his performance it was a lot better than Peter's. I'm sorry he was unable to be in the London run. Hopefully Peter will grow into the role and his chemistry with the rest of the cast will improve from his current status of non-existent.

          I'm sorry to have left this review on such a sad note, and don't want readers to come away with the wrong impression. I loved this show. It was brilliant and I would urge everyone who can to go and see this show before it closes. I know to a lot of people it may seem like I shouldnt give a full five stars as I've been critical of a lot of aspects of the show including two of the main characters. However I'm sure, as I said, a lot of the issues I had with the show were down to it still being in the early stages of its run and I'm more than certain they'll be ironed out soon. Also, as critical as I've been, I did have a thoroughly good night and enjoys myself immensely. If I did half stars for reviews I'd only give 4 1/2 but as I don't I couldn't bring myself to knock of a whole star.

A fun night out full of toe tapping hits and brilliant performances. Tickets and Info here.

Women On The Verge Of A Nervous Breakdown

          Just with the last show I went to see, My Night With Reg (my review here), the subject of the play seemed like an absolute flop for a West End show let alone a musical. Who wants to watch someone having a nervous breakdown? Not me. I think I should say though that I have never seen the film that this show is based upon so I went in with a completely open mind. The reviews have also been great. Official London Theatre said 'Comedy Musicals Don't Get Much Better Than This' and The Times called it 'Funny And Tender'. Also I know the main actress, Tamsin Greig, more as a TV and film actress, even though she has done a fair amount of live theatre, so I couldn't resist the opportunity of seeing her live.

          The show is on at the Playhouse Theatre. A small little theatre that I remember going to only once before, for Spamalot back in 2013 (my review here). I was sat the row C of the stalls, a lot than I like, but I was pleasantly surprised by how good my view was. Only one or two times did I feel like I was tilting my head back to look up at the stage. The audience was very mixed which is something I always like to see. There weren't really any families but that didn't completely surprise me.

          Set in Spain in the late 1980’s, the musical tells the story of the messy love lives of several women. The central character is Pepa, played by Tamsin, who struggles after being dumped by her boyfriend. The plot thickens as her boyfriends ex wife, Lucia and their son, Carlos, along with his fiancé show up. Pepa’s best friend, Candela, also believes she is dating a terrorist. When you think about it, actually yea, this could prove a night of laughs.

          My God was it. It was so funny. Now I'm not talking belly laughs but it definitely made me smile. It was clever, funny and a brilliant observation of life. Similar in a way to how My Night With Reg was. Candela, played by Anna Skellern, was really a bit over the top at times but never in a way that I felt spoilt the show. I've also seen clips of the actress Laura Benanti who originated the role on Broadway back in 2010. This whole overacting of the character seems to be the norm, but I still cant help but think it comes across a bit stupid sometimes. Haydn Gwynne as Lucia was brilliant. She played evil very well, but still made this mad character completely lovable. She also sings her song, Invisible, brilliantly. Such an emotional song and she completely tugged at my heart strings. Tamsin is also sublime. She completely embodies the character and really shows her struggles exceptionally well. the were plenty of opportunities for her to overact, but she never took the bait.

          I have to also say that I felt Hayden and Tamsin portrayed the characters for better than Patti LuPone and Sherie Rene Scott who originated the roles. Ricardo Afonso is also an absolute pleasure to watch. he just oozes Spanish flair and sex appeal. Some people may recognise him as he was a contestant on the 2013 series of The Voice UK. He plays the taxi driver who is also the narrator of the story. He opens the show with the song Madrid, which completely sets the scene for the play. Whenever he was on stage I just couldn't take my eyes off him. I was disappointed by Michael Matus however. He was playing the role of Ivan instead of Jerome Pradon. He seems very uncomfortable and actually he came across more like someone from an armature dramatics group than someone on the West End stage. This was made even more clear when he started singing his solo song, Yesterday Today And Tomorrow. This is odd as he's been in many theatre productions.

          The music and dancing in this production are absolutely phenomenal. David Yazbek and Ellen Kane have to be congratulated. The really get Spain across and they are songs that just make you smile. Yes they aren't the easiest songs to remember lyrics of, but you cant help but enjoy them in the theatre. Its one of those musicals where every song is good. I feel like that very rarely happens. The choreography and music just transport you to Spain. The costumes are also brilliant. Caitlin Ward has done a brilliant job sticking closely to the costumes of the film, but also modernising them slightly. They fit brilliantly with the personalities of the characters and make them even more believable. In parts it was almost like you were the fly on the wall of the situation.

          This is an absolutely fantastic show, and I would recommend anyone to go and see it. Yes a younger audience might not get some of the more complex subjects, jokes and observations but they'll still enjoy it. You need to be quick though at its only in the West End until the beginning of May. Go go go!! Tickets and Info

My Night With Reg

 

          I felt that this would be an interesting show to see. Its a show that has, for the past 20 years, had critical acclaim whenever its been produced. Its also seen as an important piece of theatre not only within the theatre community but also within the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered) community. The play follows the story of a group of gay male friends from London over several years during the 1980s against the backdrop of the Aids crisis. It sounds depressing, I know, but I went in without expectations.

 

          The audience was made up of mainly gay men, with a few women or couples. The audience was also mainly over 30s. The theatre is lovely. I've never been here before, which is stupid on my behalf. Ill definitely be coming here more. The theatre is kind of famous in London though, as in 2013 the ceiling collapsed during a performance of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. It brought down a lighting rig and a section of balcony, which trapped 2 people and injured around 88, including 7 seriously. The stage is relatively small and this means every seat gets a decent view. The set isn't the simplest I've seen, but its not complicated. It doesn't change throughout the play. I never became bored of it though as the cast interact with it wonderfully.

 

          Reg, as in the  person mentioned in the title, isn't actually in the play, but the plot revolves around his friends. The play is set in the new flat/apartment of one of Reg's friends, Guy, when all the men are in their 30s (apart from a new friend they make who's around 18). Guy is a lonely man and has a secret crush on one of the men in the group. Promiscuity and secret affairs are rife within the group, all instances of which involve Reg. The show is primarily a story of love and friendship, with a bit of betrayal thrown in. Aids, although a feature of the show, is never actually mentioned by name and therefore almost gets forgotten. To be honest, unless you know the plot before you go you might not even think Aids features in it at all. The play was written by Kevin Elyot and premièred at the Royal Court Theatre on 31st March 1994. Unfortunately Kevin died in June 2014. During his career he had also produced a number of films including Clapham Junction and Christopher And His Kind.

 

          Yes its a serious play, but it falls into the comedy genre. Its what I would call a clever comedy. It doesn't rely and stupid slapstick. Instead the reality of certain situations and how people react is what makes it funny. I guess this is what's made it such a popular play. Its won two awards for best comedy, one for best fringe play and only this year (2015) it won an Olivier Award for Best Revival. The current production is just short of 2 hours and has no interval. It goes reasonably quickly though I must admit I do feel its a little long with no break. The actors were brilliant. Jonathan Broadbent is great in the role of Guy. He's probably one of the most real characters in the show. Julian Ovenden, who's probably best known at the moment for his role as Charles Blake in Downton Abby, was brilliant and in my opinion was the one that stood out from the rest of the cast. Lewis Reeves, as the young 18 year old Eric, is also fantastic with his charming smile and wonderful acting. He will be recognisable to some having been in a number of British TV shows, such as Uncle and Misfits. I'm sure he will be someone we see more of on the stage.

 

          At the end of the paly there is a little nudity. Well not just a little. Only two actors, Lewis Reeves and Julian Ovenden, but in my opinion the scene did go on a little long. Actually I thought it completely unnecessary. The nudity was in no way needed or called for and I'm sure it was only originally put in the show to cause a little bit of a talking point. This is in fact the only time I've really felt this towards onstage nudity, as usually it seems completely justified. I did find myself almost forgetting they were nude after a while though, but that's just testament to the acting. The nudity was also the only thing people were talking about at the end. More specifically it was Lewis they were talking about. Lets just say it was completely clear that he wasn't Jewish.

 

          Joking aside, it was a good show. I didn't feel it was all it was cracked up to be though. It wasn't as gritty as I wanted. At times I also felt a couple of the actors, Richard Cant and Geoffrey Streatfeild, were fairly over the top. A bit like caricatures rather than characters. A bit of me was also slightly insulted. All the characters are gay, and apart from Guy each and every one of them is portrayed as promiscuous with a couple of them cheating on their partners. This, in my opinion, gives a bad impression of gay people. Now I know a lot of people wont agree with this, but portraying gay men as being promiscuous and unfaithful really doesn't give the gay community a good name. Even if its only in a play. It's unfortunate that even in 2015 gay people are still discriminated against all over the world, and this play doesn't really help to change that. As I said though, it was a good play, and I can see how when it first came to the stage 20 years ago it was ground breaking.

 

          I know I've said some negative things, but its a good play. I think its something I think theatre lovers and enthusiasts would like. Not only because of the critical acclaim its achieved globally, but also its a play unlike any other I can think of.  Maybe not best for grandma though (or your children). Just remember it ends on April 11th 2015. Tickets and info